Chazzesmee is out to complete an historic double in the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday.
Just five days after plundering the €100,000 Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh, the six-year-old is sent back into battle by trainer Fozzy Stack for the British Flat season's traditional curtain-raiser.
Sweet Lightning is the only horse to have won both races, scoring at Doncaster in 2011 when trained by Michael Dods before striking gold in the Irish equivalent in 2013 for Tommy Carmody.
Not only is Chazzesmee looking to become the first to win the two prestigious handicaps in the same season, but he also bids to become the first Irish-trained winner of the Lincoln on Town Moor since Dermot Weld's Saving Mercy 40 years ago.
"It's kind of a shot to nothing, he'll either be there or thereabouts or they'll be sending out a search party for him," said Stack.
"It's hard to know with the short turnaround, but it's a good pot, so it's worth a chance.
Chazzesmee is the big-race winner of the highlight on the opening day of our season, proving best in the Nua Healthcare Irish Lincolnshire for @joeysheridan8 and @Stack_Racing 👏 pic.twitter.com/z2KR0uq0WB
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) March 18, 2024
"He's always been a horse that has had plenty of talent, he's just been a bit unfortunate through his life. "He handles soft ground, obviously, so we'll see what happens."
One of the chief hopes for the home team is Karl Burke's Liberty Lane, a narrow winner over the course and distance in September before failing to fire in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket a fortnight later.
Burke is looking forward to stepping the four-year-old up in trip later in the year, but is happy to start off over the straight mile on testing conditions.
"A mile is the minimum trip for him, he should be staying a mile and a quarter, but you need that (stamina) for that type of race," said the Spigot Lodge handler.
"If he can keep tabs on the leaders, he loves that soft ground and fingers crossed he can run a big race, but we're going there hopeful rather than confident.
"I think I'd rather be drawn high (stall 20) than low and I think they'll probably arrowhead up the middle. Most of the fancied horses are drawn low, so it will be interesting."
Charlie Johnston fields two contenders, with Qipco Champions Day winner The Gatekeeper joined by stablemate Dutch Decoy.
The Gatekeeper has not been seen in competitive action since his lucrative Balmoral Handicap victory at Ascot in October, while Dutch Decoy makes his first appearance since finishing a close-up sixth in the Cambridgeshire.
Simon and Ed Crisford's Awaal, the Julie Camacho-trained Lattam and Jack Channon's 2022 Lincoln hero Johan also feature in a fiercely-competitive field.
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